Victoria

May 31-Jun 1
AC197 YYZ-YYJ, AC1902 YYJ-YYZ

With a goal of maximum miles for 2025 with a focus on Canada and outside of North America, we ended up with a lot of west coast travel. We’ve always enjoyed our trips to Vancouver Island, and used this opportunity to connect with friends and explore more of the city.

May 31

Arriving from the morning flight, we had time to drop in a cool independent store (Books & Shenanigans) where my partially retired friend works part time. After a quick catch up, we headed downtown to check into our hotel and walk around town.

Plant sculpture on the grounds of the Empress Hotel

Visitor Centre greets those arriving via boat and float plane

"The Homecoming" (2010), created by Nathan Scott to commemorate the centennial of the Royal Canadian Navy

Catching the sea planes connecting Victoria to Vancouver

Water Taxi moving tourists around the harbour

Reminding us and cruise visitors where they are

Victoria Clipper connecting Victoria to downtown Seattle in the summer

British Columbia Legislature Cenotaph and the War Memorial to the Unknown Soldier

British Columbia Parliament Buildings with a new Canadian Flag

Queen Victoria stands in front of the legislature

Knowledge Totem Pole

Side view of the Parliament building

Confederation Garden Court covering all of Canada

Side profile of the Parliament

The Spanish Civil War Memorial (1998) honors British Columbians and Canadians who volunteered to defend the Spanish Republic against fascism in the 1930s

"The Lebanese Emigrant" statue (2022), part of a series of identical monuments found in cities worldwide to commemorate the contribution of the Lebanese community, first erected in Mexico City in 1979. 

Panoramic view of Victoria Harbour

Looking across to the Delta where we stayed on our last trip in 2021

Floating community

Shops and restaurants at Fisherman’s Wharf

Cat enjoying life around the fishes

Continuing around the coastline, we reached Ogdon Point, south of downtown

Pilot boat, ready to guide in one of the many Alaska cruise ships

Kite surfers enjoying the wind

Catching the waves

Catching some air

Tom testing his zoom lens

Crazyfly in the air

Capturing a gull in flight

Some white caps on Juan de Fuca Strait

Ross Bay Beach

Refurbished historic anchor at the end of the Trans Canada Highway

Terry Fox monument commemorating where Fox had hoped to arrive on his Marathon of Hope, cut short in Thunder Bay by the recurrence of his cancer

Spiral Beach

Memorial commemorating Torontonian swimmer Marilyn Bell’s crossing of the Juan de Fuca Strait to Port Angeles, WA

World's fourth-tallest (38.8m), and tallest freestanding, totem pole (1958) in Beacon Hill Park, carved from a single cedar tree

One of the many peacocks roaming Beacon Hill Park

Continuing through Beacon Hill Park we make our way back downtown and to our hotel. After a short rest, we headed to our friends house for dinner, joined by another friend coming from Vancouver.

Jun 1

Before breakfast, I decided to take advantage of the cool morning air to run along the harbour. A number of new cruise ships arrived overnight, changing the dynamic a little bit, but luckily most of the passengers were still sleeping. After breakfast, we headed back to the airport and home to Toronto.